PF lawmaker accuses govt of importing 10 million tonnes of mealie meal, warns against GMOs

Lunte Patriotic Front (PF) Member of Parliament, Mutotwe Kafwaya, has accused government of importing about 10 million metric tonnes of mealie meal from South Africa to supply the local market.

Zambia Monitor recently reported that government had entered into agreement with the Zambia National Service in collaboration with Shoprite to supply cheap mealie meal to the local market.

Kafwaya alleged that the 10 million metric tonnes of mealie meal had been given to ZNS to supply the local market using Shoprite, as announced recently by Chief Government Spokesperson, Cornelius Mweetwa.

Addressing a media briefing in Lusaka on Thursday, Kafwaya described the move by government to engage ZNS to supply mealie meal to the local market as not well reasoned because it would not reduce the prices of the commodity in the market.

“Information reaching us is that government is buying 10 million metric tonnes of mealie meal from South Africa and we are hearing that this is part of what ZNS is supplying to shoprite. I hope the issue which was raised on the floor of the house by Leader of opposition that this could be GMO does not come true,” he said.

Kafwaya said government should come out clean over the deal and assure Zambians that what has been imported from South Africa was not Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).

He said government should be conscious of the impact of GMOs on the health of many Zambians.

Kafwaya also wondered how people in districts without Shoprite like Mbala in Northern Procince would access the said mealie meal.

“The 2024 national budget which stands at K177.9 billion was understated by K66 billion which government should explain where it would be taken,” he also alleged.

Kafwaya claimed the actual 2024 national budget was K245 billion and not what was presented to Parliament.

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